Iterative class diagram construction in consideration of modeling granularity

This paper presents an effective and efficient class modeling approach in light of granularity of software architecture. While class model constructions have discussed architectural and process principles, in this paper we highlight the concept of granularity and the resultant iterative manner of class modelling wherein modeling tasks are carried out iteratively and where technical details are added gradually. As a part of this granular approach, class relationships and their semantics are also enriched gradually by identifying intra-family and inter-family relationships in the large, and identifying attribute-level and method level associations in the small. Modeling aspects of class diagrams at different abstraction levels have been examined, which can be used for effective class model construction and verification. Furthermore, we suggest the use of adornments to clarify sophisticated features of a class, and leave implementation specific aspects to implementation views. Such approach, we hope will obviate the trap of over modelling with implementation specific details in early stages.